Resembling Apple's recently announced iPad, the ExoPC Slate appears to be a riposte to that device, with a similar emphasis on media consumption. ExoPC touts the Slate's ability to multitask, support "all formats including [Adobe] Flash," play streaming audio and video, and display "digital books in any format."

According to Rimouski, Quebec-based ExoPC, the ExoPC Slate runs Windows 7, but with a touch-friendly user interface known as the ExoPC IU Layer. A "freely available" software development kit (SDK) allows touch applications to be created using either JavaScript or Flash, the company adds.

The ExoPC Slate

OUR VERDICT: We'd love one of these, but tablet devices will need ARM or Moorestown processors to compete seriously with Apple's iPad

Hardware specifications for the ExoPC Slate include an 8.9-inch multi-touch screen with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels, plus Intel's familiar Atom N270 CPU (with the now-venerable 945GSE northbridge and ICH7M southbridge). Equipped with 2GB of DDR2 RAM, the Slate has a 32GB SSD (solid state disk), ExoPC adds.

ExoPC says the Slate offers 802.11b/g wireless networking, Bluetooth, and 10/100 Ethernet, plus a 1.3 megapixel camera. Also included are three USB ports, a microphone input and headphone output, a VGA port, and a SIM slot that will work with an optional cellular modem, the company says.

Specifications provided by ExoPC for the Slate include the following:

• Processor -- 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270
• Chipset -- 945GSE northbridge and ICH7M southbridge
• Memory -- 2GB of DDR2 RAM
• Display -- 8.9-inch multi-touch screen with 1024 x 600 resolution
• Camera -- 1.3 megapixel
• Storage -- 32GB SSD
• Expansion:
  • SIM slot
  • SD/MMC slot
• Networking:
  • LAN -- 10/100 Ethernet
  • WLAN -- 802.11b/g/n
  • PAN -- Bluetooth
• Other I/O:
  • 1 x VGA
  • 3 x USB 2.0
• Battery -- Four hours of operation
• Dimensions -- 9.84 x 6.61 x 0.82 inches (250 x 168 x 21mm)
• Weight -- n/s

Further information

According to ExoPC, the Slate is available now in a developer version, which costs $780 inclusive of shipping. This version lacks a multi-touch display and provides only two hours of battery life, warns the company, which did not say when the final version will go on sale.

More information about the ExoPC Slate may be found on the company's website, here.

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